What is breast lift surgery (mastopexy)?

Your breasts often change over time, losing their youthful shape and firmness. Pregnancy, nursing, weight gain and loss, aging and gravity can cause breasts to soften and sag. Women who are unhappy with the shape, volume and/or firmness of their breasts may consider having breast lift surgery, also called mastopexy. A breast lift raises and firms the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast. A breast lift is often combined with breast augmentation surgery to increase both the firmness and size of the breasts.

Am I a candidate for a breast lift (mastopexy)?

Breast lift is a highly individualized procedure achieved through a variety of incision patterns and techniques, which involves removing excess skin and relocating the nipple and areola (the pigmented skin surrounding the nipple). Patients with smaller breasts and minimal sagging may be candidates for a breast lift procedure that involves smaller incisions than a standard breast lift requires. While there are many variations to the procedure, a consultation with a Cleveland Clinic physician is an excellent means of establishing your individualized treatment plan.

How do I prepare for a breast lift (mastopexy)?

To help prepare for a breast lift, cosmetic surgeons at Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center may recommend a baseline mammogram before surgery and another mammographic examination some months after surgery to help detect post-operative changes in your breast tissue.

If you are a smoker, you will be asked to stop smoking well in advance of surgery. You should avoid aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs that can cause increased bleeding for a period of time before surgery. Your plastic surgeon will provide you with additional preoperative instructions.

How is a breast lift (mastopexy) performed?

Breast lift surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure, usually under general anesthesia and typically takes 1 ½ to 2 hours.

The procedure can be achieved through a variety of incision patterns and techniques. Experts from Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center will determine the appropriate technique for you based on:

• Breast size and shape
• The size and position of your areolas (small darkened area around the nipples)
• The degree of breast sagging
• Skin quality and elasticity, as well as the amount of extra skin.

All types of breast lifts require an incision to remove excess skin so that the remaining skin can be repositioned. There are several types of breast lift surgery techniques available that differ in the incision made and the procedure used to lift the skin.

Standard breast lift surgery

uses an anchor or keyhole incision, which starts at the base of the breast in the crease and extends upward around the areola – creating an anchor shape. It is most often used for extensive ptosis (drooping), resulting in the most noticeable scarring.

“Doughnut mastopexy,”

which is also called a Benelli lift or periareolar lift, is much less invasive than the anchor breast lift procedure because the incision is limited to a circle around the areola. A piece of skin around the areola is removed and the surrounding skin is reattached to create a lifted look with minimal scarring.

Vertical mastopexy

is a procedure resulting in an incision around the areola and then vertically down the breast. This avoids the horizontal incision under the breast that results from a standard breast lift.

For the best result, experts at Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center enter often recommend combining breast augmentation with breast lift (mastopexy) surgery when there is both surgery of the breasts and a significant loss of volume. The two procedures are generally performed at the same time, although revision surgery may be required for an ideal result.

• Before and Afters
• Specialists
• FAQs
• Consultation

Before

After

Woman in her late thirties interested in a breast lift after massive weight loss. Patient underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and two years after breast lift surgery (right).

Woman in her late thirties interested in a breast lift after massive weight loss. Patient underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and two years after breast lift surgery (right).

Woman in her late thirties interested in a breast lift after massive weight loss. Patient underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and two years after breast lift surgery (right).

Woman in her early forties interested in a breast lift after losing over 100 lbs. Patient underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and 10 months after breast lift surgery (right).

Woman in her early forties interested in a breast lift after losing over 100 lbs. Patient underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and 10 months after breast lift surgery (right).

Woman in her early forties interested in a breast lift after losing over 100 lbs. Patient underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and 10 months after breast lift surgery (right)..

Woman in her mid-forties underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and two months after breast lift surgery (right).

Woman in her mid-forties underwent breast lift surgery, and is shown before breast lift surgery (left) and two months after breast lift surgery (right).

• Steven Bernard, MD
• Risal Djohan, MD
• Edward A. Levy, MD
• Armand Lucas, MD

• Andrea Moreira, MD
• Francis Papay, MD
• J. Vicente Poblete, MD

• Graham Schwarz, MD
• Randall Yetman, MD
• James Zins, MD

When can I return to work?

After breast lift surgery, it is often possible to return to work within a week or so, depending on your job. In most cases, you can resume most of your normal activities, including some form of mild exercise, several weeks following surgery. You may continue to experience some mild, intermittent discomfort during this time, which is normal. Severe pain should be reported to your doctor.

When can I resume sexual activity?

Any sexual activity should be avoided for a minimum of one or two weeks following breast lift surgery. After that, care must be taken to be extremely gentle with your breasts for at least the next several weeks.

Does breast lift surgery interfere with pregnancy?

Breast lift surgery does not normally interfere with pregnancy, but if you are planning to become pregnant, discuss this with your plastic surgeon. Changes that occur in your breast skin during pregnancy, such as stretching, can minimize or reverse the improvement a breast lift provides. Plans for significant weight loss should also be discussed with your plastic surgeon.

Does having a nipple piercing prevent me from having a breast lift?

A nipple piercing does not prevent you from having a breast lift, but breast and nipple piercing can cause an infection.

One of the best ways to decide if cosmetic surgery is right for you is by meeting with a cosmetic or plastic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center.

During this first consultation, you and your surgeon will discuss your goals and expectations. Your surgeon will also:

• Review your complete medical history (including past and current medications)
• Evaluate the part of your body that you want treated
• Give recommendations
• Answer any questions you have
• Learn more about a physician consultation

What results can I expect?

Though results from your breast lift are immediately visible, breast shape and position continue to settle over the next few months. Incision lines are permanent, but will continue to fade over time.

While the results of your breast lift surgery will be long lasting, over time your breasts can continue to change due to aging and gravity. You will be able to retain the results of your breast lift by maintaining your weight and keeping a healthy lifestyle. It is important to continue to follow-up with your Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center surgeon to ensure the best, long-term results.

What is involved in recovery?

Breast lift surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. If this is the case, be certain to plan for someone to drive you home after surgery and stay with you at least the first night following surgery.

Following breast lift surgery, your breasts will be bruised, swollen and sore for one to two weeks. You’ll need to wear a surgical bra for the first week after surgery, followed by a support bra for several weeks after that.

Post-surgical swelling will resolve over time and incision lines will fade. You may experience some loss of sensation in your nipples and breasts following breast lift surgery, with sensation gradually returning over the next weeks and months. However, some patients experience numbness for up to a year. On rare occasions, loss of sensation can be permanent.

Is a breast lift safe?

All surgical procedures carry some risk.

Although rare, risks associated with a breast lift include:

Breast lift surgery incisions do leave scars, but these will fade with time with maximum fading occurring at one year. Scar locations include an incision around the nipples, vertically down the breast and sometimes horizontally in the breast fold.

Why Choose Us

If you’re considering a breast lift, look for a board-certified surgeon with specialized training and significant experience performing breast lifts. Consider going to a plastic surgeon that is affiliated with a major medical center, such as Cleveland Clinic. Ask your cosmetic surgeon about credentials, training and how many breast lift procedures he or she has performed.

Is this procedure covered by health insurance?

Like all cosmetic procedures, a breast lift is not covered by health insurance. Ask to talk with a financial representative from Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center who can explain the costs of the procedure and payment options.

This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.